Gov't to accredit 58 more COVID-19 testing labs by May

The Philippine government plans to accredit 58 additional COVID-19 testing facilities by the end of May, aiming to increase the total number of operational laboratories nationwide to 78.

This initiative is part of the government's intensified 3T (test, trace, and treat) program to detect, isolate, and treat coronavirus cases, with the goal of saving lives.

BCDA president Vivencio Dizon, the program's chief coordinator, emphasized the necessity of ramping up testing capacity to manage potential surges in infections.

These new facilities will be strategically located across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao to ensure nationwide coverage.

The government aims to emulate countries like New Zealand, Vietnam, Germany, and South Korea, which have successfully used swift and broad testing strategies.

He acknowledged the cost of RT-PCR tests but stressed their crucial role, especially with no immediate vaccine available.

In addition to testing centers, the government is accelerating the construction of quarantine and treatment facilities and establishing mega swabbing centers to support the testing efforts.

As of April 30, the country had tested over 108,680 samples and 97,505 persons, exceeding the daily target of 8,000 tests with 20 operational laboratories.